Hot Chocolate Truck Hoping to Be on Twin Cities Streets By December

While most Twin Cities food trucks are winding down their season, up-and-coming hot chocolate truck The Warming House is just getting started. Co-owners Zachary Stafford and his wife Jill Stafford have launched a Kickstarter campaign for their truck, hoping that hot chocolate lovers will bring the $14,000 needed to fund the truck, equipment, kitchen needs, licensing fees, supplies, among other costs.

In return, the Staffords have a list of goodies to give back, depending on how much backers chip in. A $1,500 donation gets a birthday party for the backer and 50 friends (note: January through April birthdays only), among other perks. The campaign raised $1,585 in the first day; the funding period runs until October 29.

Zach Stafford is excited to get started. "A hot chocolate truck should already be here," Stafford says. "It's cold here. With The Warming House, you'll forget about the frost bite, and you'll remember the good times you had."

Zach Stafford and Jill Stafford both approach the food truck business from a retail background. Before The Warming House, Zach Stafford was in the e-commerce industry and Jill Stafford was a corporate business analyst.

The mobile drinkery is partnering with St. Croix Chocolate Co. to develop ganache-based beverages, from chocolate chai to the classic hot cocoa. They'll also feature homemade marshmallows. They hope to be around Minneapolis lakes and sporting events by early December.

—Urmila Ramakrishnan

· The Warming House Kickstarter [Kickstarter]
· The Warming House Facebook Page [Facebook]
· The Warming House Official Website

[Image: The Warming House Facebook Page]